“I was there, I saw it. My squad was assigned station just outside Clamart.
I was watching the road that night, it was dark as you would expect, and quiet except for the sound of the guns.
Anselm noticed them first, a crowd of refugees coming up the road. They were running, we shouted "halt, stop" but they kept coming, we shot above their heads but still they came. Sergeant Becker ordered us to shoot them, but they still came on, running through us, civilians and soldiers.
They ignored us in their haste to escape, refusing to stop and answer us until Becker grabbed a soldier by the arm and pulled him from the mass. “Why do you run?” he said, the soldier tried to pull away, a look of terror in his eyes. Sergeant Becker slapped him “Pull yourself together.” He shouted in French “you are a soldier.” the man regained his composure, remembered who he was, “The devil has come, and his minions have the city. Run, run for your lives.”
Becker let go of the Frenchman, but he did not re-join the crowd. “Sergeant can I stay with you?” Becker gave him that look that only sergeants can give. “I should not have run, can I defend my people from here?” Becker ordered us to take the man into custody and some others to watch the road.
Over the next few hours the refugees continued to pass our position. We questioned a few others but got similar gibberish from them. Then about midnight we heard the sounds of fighting. Becker, Anselm and I climbed up a bank to get a better view. In the distance smoke and flashes of musketry could be seen. Militia fighting and retreating towards us? This did not make sense. Becker ordered our squad to take up positions, but not to fire until ordered. A young Feldwebelleutnant came running up to the sergeant at this point. “Orders from the Major hold the line, let the Frenchie’s through, or let them join you, it’s up to you.” Then he was gone.
Confusion was now showing on the face of the NCO’s, and fear was beginning to take hold and we hadn’t even seen the cause yet. We didn’t have to wait for long. As the French drew closer, shapes began to emerge from the smoke. First we thought it was just the way smoke makes shapes and pictures, but then things seemed to solid, too real, winged things, two and a half three metres tall things. Things with muscles and swords that slashed at the soldiers, killing them at whim. Musket fire and bayonets seemed as nothing, sure some fell but not enough. Our guns joined the French. Bang bang bang, soon our rifles became too hot. We fell back, shoulder to shoulder with the men we had been fighting only twelve hours before. The demons came on, nothing could stop them, killing everything, everyone.
Daylight saved us. The sunrise that day was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. At the touch of the sunlight the beasts disappeared, the Devils minions cannot abide the light.
I truly believe if it were not for the sun, they would have destroyed us all.”
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